The Truck Stops Here

TA Express White Hills, AZ opened its doors in August of 2020. Guy Jackson walked us through the many offerings on the 12 acres, including eight lanes of diesel, 67 truck parking spots, massage chairs, shower, two convenience-stores, a QSR, dog park, and much more, with room to add even more on six additional acres.   Hosted by: Amy Toner, NATSO, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content and...

Getting professional drivers and car customers inside from the fuel islands is always important in the truckstop and travel center business. This summer, with an expected increase in vacation travel, it will be especially impactful. To increase the likelihood that fueling customers will make the trek inside from the fuel islands, you need to be hitting on all cylinders when it comes to the fundame...

Employee turnover is a top concern among truckstop and travel centers. Low employee retention affects employee morale and productivity and has a negative long-term financial impact on the business. What's more, if a travel center is continuously hiring and training to keep shifts covered, it does not leave much room for growth and development. Eliot Duarte, author of NATSO's Truckstop and Travel C...

Novelty and gift items are the best sellers at Duke's Mount Vernon TA Express and for a reason. From cowhides to Texas metalwork, the Texas powerhouse knows what products to have and how to sell them. Mike Hamzeh, general manager at Dukes Mount Vernon TA Express, walks listeners through what makes the truckstop special. "This truckstop is very unique. It is wooden, it is rustic. We carry a lot of...

Bringing a deep appreciation for the professional driver to everything they do, Florida 595 Truck Stop has been open in Davie, Florida since 2011. The location has 44 acres, 450 truck parking spots, diesel and gas islands, a seven-bay repair shop, truck wash, restaurant and a bar. Norka Rodriguez, CEO of Florida 595 Truck Stop, joined the podcast to share the truckstop's great ideas including the...

It was our pleasure to welcome David Schwalb, principal and chief legal officer at Fred's Fuel N Food in Gilman, Illinois to the podcast this month. With a background in law and commercial real estate, Schwalb stumbled upon a foreclosed truckstop. Acknowledged as a top truckstop on Trucker Path, today Fred's Fuel N Food boasts a sophisticated operation that offers friendly customer service, clean...

Each year the NATSO Foundation's Bill and Carolyn Moon Scholarship Program distributes thousands of dollars to students to pursue their educational goals. In 2021, the foundation will award five, $5,000 scholarships to truckstop and travel plaza employees and/or their legal dependents. The scholarship program is an amazing employee benefit, and truckstops and travel plaza operators should encourag...

Google Pats Travel Center in La Porte, Texas and you'll find review after review lauding their friendly staff and facilities. Catering to fleets and travelers in central Texas since 1980, the location was recently remodeled to be bright and welcoming, offering more amenities for professional drivers and travelers. Sean Momin, vice president of operations at Pats Travel Center walked us through the...

Port Fuel Center is set to open this summer near the Port of Savannah. We welcomed Sean Register, president of Port Fuel Center, on to the podcast to tell us about this new state-of-the-art truckstop. The truckstop will offer parking for 80, ten diesel lanes, a CNG facility, a four-bay truck repair shop, a medical facility and a quick-serve food-service option. The truckstop will also be loaded wi...

NATSO's President & CEO, Lisa Mullings, and David Fialkov, NATSO's vice president, government relations, legislative and regulatory counsel, are back to answer what the political landscape will look like for the industry now that the election results are in. Listen to hear from Mullings and Fialkov what truckstops can expect from the Biden Administration and new Congress. Hosted by: Amy Toner, Vic...

Contactless and frictionless payment options have been growing in popularity as customers look to speed transactions and quickly get in and out of stores. At NATSO, we have encouraged our members to embrace technology geared toward speed-of-service for years. Now the COVID-19 pandemic has added to that as customers and retailers look to minimize contact as well as address labor stresses. Jack Hoga...

In-Convenience Podcast hosts Frank Beard and Al Hebert joined NATSO's podcast to talk about what they think is working and not working for c-stores, retailers and truckstops during the pandemic. They offered their insight on food service, the future of fuel and convenience retailing and more in this special episode.   Hosted by: Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO and...

Blending biodiesel can provide economic benefits for truckstop and travel plazas, and many factors help determine the market dynamics. In this episode of The Truck Stops Here Ginger Laidlaw, vice president with NATSO's Alternative Fuels Council, answered the frequently asked questions NATSO receives on biodiesel. She provides critical information on incentives, fuel quality, equipment and much mor...

Earlier this year, NATSO's President and CEO Lisa Mullings joined the podcast to share on trucking trends impacting the industry. The evolutions the trucking industry experi­ences have a significant impact on the nation's truckstops and travel centers and Mullings always has her eye on what the changes mean for NATSO members. From growth in box trucks to the impact of ELDs, Mullings walks listener...

To be a successful travel center, what products do you need to offer? How often should your inventory turn? Can you have a success travel center if you just have the standard c-store items? Darren Schulte, NATSO's vice president, membership, has nearly three decades of experience in truckstop and travel plaza operations and merchandising. In this episode of NATSO's podcast, he uses that deep well...

With each new build, Enid, Oklahoma based Jiffy Trip, continues to knock innovative retail out of the park. From self-check to drive thru's to beer caves, they are prepared for all the trends hitting retail this year. Alex Williams, Chief Operating Officer, Jiffy Trip came on the podcast to break down these thoughtful elements for listeners. He offers advice for what to sell in your drive thru's,...

Election nights are always overwhelming affairs for those who live and breathe politics and public policy. NATSO's President & CEO, Lisa Mullings, and David Fialkov, NATSO's vice president, government relations, legislative and regulatory counsel, have you covered. How will the results of the 2020 elections alter the policy landscape within which NATSO member operate for many years to come? Listen...

Diesel lanes are, of course, an extremely important component of the truckstop and travel center business. At NATSO, we frequently receive inquires about adding commercial fuel lanes to existing stores and new stores. In this episode of the podcast, Darren Schulte, NATSO's vice president, membership, offers his advice on canopy width, signage, striping and lighting. Schulte offers guidance on meet...

This fall Liberty Travel Plazas unveiled a new name and brand identity for the company and will be known as Onvo. The rebrand includes a new name and logo, a fully redesigned website, refreshed loyalty program and an updated store design. One of the key elements of the rebrand is the com­pany's new mascot: a bird, also named Onvo, which represents the company's commitment to providing guests with...

As concerns about COVID-19 continue to reshape life as we know it, many truckstop and travel plaza owners are adapting so that they can continue to serve their customers and generate revenue by adding online and mobile ordering. Many believe this expectation of the ability to order online will become the norm after the pandemic passes. On this episode of the podcast, we welcome Smooth Commerce CEO...

Don Quinn, NATSO Service's vice president, and Darren Schulte, NATSO's vice president, membership, frequently consult for travel centers and truckstops. They help travel centers grow their business. Oftentimes, that means coming out and spending a few days onsite doing a complete evaluation, but it also means answering a lot of critical operational questions to help those expanding their travel ce...

Retailers across the country are changing their layouts and display strategies to allow customers to quickly and safely shop while following social distancing guidelines. Should your truckstops make some of these changes? Darren Schulte, NATSO's vice president, membership contends that good truckstops and travel centers should use this time to re-evaluate their merchandising strategy. What should...

BT Mack Technology Group technology experts Larry Welch and Mason Powers joined the podcast to talk about technology infrastructure for truckstops. They cover the truckstop technology fundamentals from ideas for a strong wifi network to how to beef up your cyber security to camera systems best practices. We also talked about some next-gen technology such as sophisticated artificial intelligences t...

Ryan Arnold, Vice President of Marketing for Road Ranger, came on the podcast to share about Road Ranger's recently opened 40th location in Brinkley, Ark. "Everything about this site in Brinkley is new. This is what the future of Road Ranger will look like," said Arnold. The new location is friendly, well-lit with an open and inviting layout. It offers a variety of food offerings including a Tejas...

NATSO Chairman's Circle member Coca Cola is always watching and learning to synthesize shopper trends. While the COVID-19 pandemic has turned the world upside down and retailers right along with it, Coca Cola has identified five shoppers trends that are going to stick around post pandemic. From a focus on health to a yearning for comfort, The Coca Cola Company's Stephanie McMahan, senior manager s...